Ironing-board.



No. 643,033; Patented Feb. a, mu.

I G. BACON.

IBONING BOARD.

(Application filed Isa-2'18, 1899.) (No Mqdel.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT BACON, OF ANTIGO, WISCONSIN.

IRONING-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,033, dated February6, 1900.

Application filed March 18, 1899.

To atZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT BACON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Antigo, in the county of Langlade and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Boards; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and use ful improvements in afolding ironing-board, the object being to provide a convenient form ofironing-board which may be very cheaply constructed and yet which willprove reliably efficient in the performance of its office and may befolded out of the way when not in use.

WVith the foregoing object in view attention is called to the followingspecification, in which several details of my invention and theircooperating accessories are designated by numerals.

In the accompanying drawings, made a part of this application, Figure lis a bottom plan view showing my invention complete in a foldedcondition. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of my improved ironing-boardon the median line thereof and showing the position of the parts intheir operative positions. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective details ofcertain parts of my invention separated from the board proper.

In materializing my invention I provide the ironing-board proper orbody-section l, which may be of suitable length and width, according tothe uses to which it is applied, and is preferably provided with thetapered section 2 and the rounded end 3, and in order to insure theboard against warping or buckling I prefer to form upon the under sidethereof a suitable recess, preferably dovetail in form, in which Idispose the transverse section 4, which may be additionally secured inposition, as by the screws 5. The opposite end of the board is alsoreinforced by the cleat 6, which also serves the additional purpose ofproviding the fulcrum-point for the clamping-levers 7, each beingpivotally secured in position upon the rib 6 by means of the screws orbolts 8, it being clear that the convex outer surface of the rib 6 willtend to permit a free movement of the clamps 7. I prefer to dispose saidclamps substantially in the manner illustrated in Fig.

Serial No. 709,641. (No model.)

1, their inwardly-inclined ends 9 being beveled upon the inner side, sothat the extreme ends of the clamps will present an acute angle,thoughsaid ends are not fastened together.-

It will be observed that the inner ends of the clamps have an upwardbevel, as they will thereby more readily enter the slot 15 in thesupporting-legs 14, and the'bottom of the slot 15 is beveled inwardly,thereby forming a practically Wider slot for the entrance of the 1 endsof the clamping members when the leg is folded or is in an inclinedposition. The beveled ends of the levers will also when folded engagethe beveled lower edge of the slot 15 to hold the levers in their foldedposition. The plate 11 extends down very nearly to the upper edge of thebevel in the supporting-leg, so that when the leg is moved into asupp0rt= ing position it will bear down upon the members 7 and lock thetable in position.

Between the cleats 4 and 6 I hinge to the under side of the body-section1, as by the hinges 10, the controlling-plate or depressinghead 11, towhich is secured, as by the screws 12, the bifurcated end 13 of thesupportingleg 14, said bifurcation being of sufficient extent to providethe opening 15, the greater part of it being above the edge of thedepressing-head 11, through which the inner ends of the clamps 7 areadapted to extend, the outer edge of the opening being extended, as bythe bevel indicated by the numeral 16, in order that the leg may befolded parallel with the body or ironing-board proper when not in use.

By pivoting the clamps 7 to the rib-section 6 it will be observed thatthe free outer ends 17 thereof are held out of contact with theironing-board proper in order to permit the projecting edge 18 of anordinary table to be received between said board and clamps, and it isclear that as the leg is folded downward in its operative position thelower edge of the head 11 will act upon the pointed ends of the clamps 7and draw the same downward away from the ironing-board and incidentallyforcing the opposite ends 17 thereof toward the ironing-board, and sincethe edge of the table is interposed between said parts a clamping actionwill be set up, thereby securing the ironing-board in an adjustedposition as the leg is folded down into engagement with the floor.

rated in order to extend the full width of the slot 15, I provide thespring 19, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in order to insure that thefree ends 17 of the clamps shall reliably grasp the under side of thetable without mutilating the same to any appreciable extent I providethe outwardly-inclined points 20, one for each of saidends, and it isclear that inasmuch as the inner ends of the clamps are normally heldoutward by the spring 19 the tension of said spring will be overcomewhen the leg is moved downward to its operative position, inasmuch asthe outer edges of said clamps will be engaged by the ends of theopening and the inner ends of said clamps will be brought into closecontact with each other, and at the same time imparting to the free ends17 a slight outward movement sufficient to insert the outwardly-inclinedpoints 20 into the table without mutilating the same to its positiveinjury, thus insuring that the grasp of the clamps upon the table willbe more secure than if said points had not been provided. The points 20,acting on the under side of said table, will not be in sight, andwhatever slight indentations may be made the same will not be observed,as they will be on the under side of the table. The points are notlarge, and it is not necessary that they should enter far into thematerial of the table.

While I have described the preferred c011 struction of the severalparts, it will be understood that the substantial equivalent thereof iscomprehended by me, and I do not, therefore, wish to be confinedstrictly to the exact showing I have made.

It will be seen that I have provided a very convenient ironing board,which may be quickly adjusted in its operative position, so that it willcooperate with any ordinary table.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In ironing-boards, the combination of the table proper, having asupporting-leg hinged to its under side provided with a depressor, saidleg having a beveled slotted opening near its upper end, a pair ofclamping members hinged to the under side of said table and having theirinner ends beveled and adapted to pass through said beveled openingunderneath the depressor, all arranged as set forth.

2. In ironing-boards, the combination of a board proper having abifurcated su pportingleg pivoted thereto on its under side, separa bleclamping members pivoted to said under side having their separable endsextending through said bifurcation and a spring located between theclamping members whereby the separable ends will snugly contact againstthe sides of said bifurcation, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GILBERT BACON.

\Vitnesses:

A. D; RICE, II. A. FRIEDEMAN.

